Early life

John Kelly was born on February 15, 1956, in Le Mars, Iowa, to John Dennis and Marilean Kelly. He started his college studies at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. However, after deciding to become a priest, he left the university to enter Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Holy Trinity in 1978 and his Master of Divinity degree in 1982 from the University of Dallas.^[1][2]

Priesthood

On May 15, 1982, Kelly was ordained by Bishop Thomas Tschoepe to the priesthood for the Diocese of Dallas at Sacred Heart Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.^[3] The diocese assigned Kelly as assistant pastor at All Saints Parish in Dallas. He left All Saints in 1986 to become chaplain at the University of Dallas, holding that position for the next ten years.^[1][2]

Kelly was named in 1995 to also serve as vocations director for the diocese. In 1996, he was moved from the university to become pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in McKinney, Texas. In 2008, Bishop Kevin Farrell appointed Kelly as vicar for clergy. The Vatican named Kelly as a monsignor in 2013.^[1][2]

Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas

Pope Francis appointed Kelly as an auxiliary bishop of Dallas on December 16, 2015. On February 11, 2016, Kelly was ordained at the Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe in Dallas by Bishop Kevin Farrell, with Archbishop Michael Sheehan and Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel acting as co-consecrators.^[4][1][3]